MARGAO: AICC Secretary Girish Chodankar on Sunday alleged that the BJP and government officials were involved in a Rs 25 crore deal to grant a 1-year extension to off-shore casinos. He also accused the BJP government of causing a loss of Rs 5,000 crore annually by conniving with casino operators and allowing them to conduct business freely and in violation of the Goa Public Gambling Act, 2012.
Elaborating on the alleged Rs 25 crore deal, Chodankar said that people in the government and BJP were involved in the same. He said he was happy that many politicians had started opposing the extension, but hoped that the outburst was not to get a share in the Rs 25 crore deal. He added, “I am sure some of them are genuine and hope that those opposing will maintain consistency in opposing casinos and will not get silenced.”
Regarding the Rs 5,000 crore revenue loss, Chodankar said, “Since we do not have a mechanism to monitor casinos in Goa, our government is totally dependent on casino operators to disclose the details of their business. The BJP government deputes an excise inspector at every distillery to keep a check on every bottle brewed and a ticket collector in every ferry to collect Rs 10 for every car. It is beyond my imagination that the government can’t post a revenue officer at every casino.”
He continued, “The revenue leakage is basically due to entry fee, entertainment tax, and VAT. The casinos disclose only 25 percent of the actual entry. In reality, 5,000 customers enter casinos daily, but only 1,000 are disclosed to the government. The BJP government has surrendered to casino operators so much that it doesn’t even bother to give proper replies to RTI and provides only general information on revenue earned. If one studies the total capacity of all casinos, even a lay man can calculate the volume of money involved and lost by the state.”
He further said, “BJP won the 2012 assembly elections by promising closure of casinos in Goa. The people, believing in the BJP, gave the party a strong mandate. But once in power, the BJP has promoted casinos like never before. It has permitted the 10th Deltin casino two months back and permitted one more offshore casino. It has also brought down the entry fee from Rs 2,000 to Rs 500.”
Chodankar stated that illegally-run casinos had destroyed hundreds of Goan families, leaving aside families from outside Goa. He also expressed shock at how the casinos allegedly had a legal team ready to transfer customers’ properties as a last resort if the customers lost all their money.
“Nobody has any control over them. On the contrary, casino operators have taken total control over politicians and bureaucrats in Goa,” said Chodankar
He stated that the BJP government had not implemented the Goa Public Gambling Act, 2012 due to pressure and bribes from casino operators. He added that “it is high time that Goans come together to fight this politician-casino nexus and save Goa”.
Recalling the pro-casino argument that Goans got employment, Chodankar said the same was misleading as only 15 percent of the casino work force is Goan, despite employable Goans being available.
He further said that casino lobby was so strong in terms of money and muscle power.
“We have seen many raise their voices against casinos, but later they don’t even utter the word ‘casino’. If every politician and bureaucrat stops taking money and favours from the casino lobby and fights aggressively, we can definitely force the government to implement the Goa Public Gambling Act and send these casinos in deep sea, so that State can get more revenue of over Rs 5,000 crore annually, prevent Goans from entering casinos, thereby saving hundreds of families, and save the River Mandovi from pollution,” said Chodankar.
